Eddie Goldman had his best game of 2019 vs. Minnesota

Eddie Goldman had his best game of 2019 vs. Minnesota

Whenever the Chicago Bears defense is brought up in football media, the first few names mentioned are Khalil Mack, Eddie Jackson and Akiem Hicks. And while all three certainly deserve superstar recognition, there's another guy along the defensive line who needs to start getting the recognition he deserves.

Fifth-year nose tackle Eddie Goldman is off to a fantastic start in 2019, this following what was the best year of his career in 2018. He's been a space-eater in the middle of Chicago's defense and has allowed players like Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan to run free to the ball carrier. In Sunday's NFC North win over the Vikings, he was the Bears' second-highest graded defender, per PFF.

Goldman registered an elite score of 90.9 and trailed only Khalil Mack's 91.3 for the team's overall top grade. His season grade of 82.6 is currently third on the Bears' defense.

Goldman signed a four-year, $42 million extension last year and remains one of the foundational pieces on Chicago's defense. He doesn't play a high-profile position and won't get many chances to register tackles or sacks, but his importance to this team is as great as anyone on the roster (other than Mack).

Khalil Mack is the best player on the Chicago Bears, and it isn't particularly close. He also provides some of the team's best one-liners.

Mack, who said shortly after Chicago's 16-6 victory over the Vikings that he's already looking forward to facing his former team next week in the Bears' game against the Raiders in London, acknowledged that Week 4's win over Minnesota was huge for the season-long battle in the NFC North.

"A dog that poop fast don't poop for long," Mack said from Soldier Field. "It's a good division, there's gonna be a lot of games we gotta win down the stretch, but the most important one is the next one. We can't be watching what's going on too much."

Point taken, Khalil.

The Bears began Week 4 with questions about whether they were a legitimate contender after two uninspiring games to start the season against the Packers and Broncos, and a generally incomplete performance against the Redskins, even though they won by a wide margin. Sunday's beatdown of the Vikings answered many of those concerns and has Chicago's standing in the NFC North on the rise. They're currently 0.5 games behind the Packers and are in position to enter their bye week (Week 6) in sole possession of first place.

"We warming up man, we warming up. We warming up," Mack said of the defense. "I'm looking forward to next week already."

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Chase Daniel on Bears defense: 'It's one of the most dominant performances I've ever seen'

Chase Daniel on Bears defense: 'It's one of the most dominant performances I've ever seen'

Chicago Bears backup QB Chase Daniel suddenly found himself under center Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings when Mitch Trubisky exited the game with a shoulder injury in the first quarter. With so much riding on Week 4's divisional battle, the pressure was certainly on the 10-year veteran.

Daniel answered the call, even if his performance was unspectacular. But it didn't have to be; Khalil Mack and the rest of the Bears defense shouldered the load...again.

Daniel wasn't shy about it either. He called Chicago's defensive performance one of the most dominant he's ever seen in his career. Take a look: